What does EPRS mean?
EPRS stands for Employee Performance Review System. EPRS is a tool used by supervisors and bargaining unit and confidential employees to plan and evaluate employee job performance.
Why do EPRS need to be completed?
Employee performance evaluations are required under Massachusetts law. This method for completing evaluations was developed and negotiated through collective bargaining with the unions. EPRS is important because it provides a way for employees, supervisors, and reviewers to see how, and ensure that, they are helping to achieve agency goals and objectives. EPRS lets reviewers and supervisors see how productive their employees are in carrying out their job duties. Additionally, it helps employees know exactly what their job duties are and what their supervisors expect of them.
Who develops a Remedial Development Plan?
Supervisors develop Remedial Development Plans for any employee whose mid-year and/or annual evaluation receives a rating of “Below.”
What are "main job duties"?
Job duties describe the “what,” “how,” and “why” of work assignments. The main job duties are those duties which are most frequently performed and are most important for that performance review year.
What are "performance criteria"?
Performance criteria describe what the supervisor and the employee mean when they say that a job duty is done right. The performance criteria will be used when it is time to review actual job performance.
Are there different kinds of review meetings?
Yes, there are two kinds of review meetings.
There are informal progress reviews which are short meetings held regularly with the employee to look at what is working and where there are areas of improvement.
There are also formal progress review meetings, required by EPRS. These are the Stage B Progress Review meeting and the Stage C Annual Review meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to point out good work while also addressing areas of performance that may require improvement. When there are identified areas of improvement, the supervisor will help the employee to look for ways to be successful in their work. At this time, the supervisor will review the job duties and performance criteria with the employee and rate performance for each. They will also assign an overall performance review rating at Stage B and C.
What is the difference between an “advisory” rating and an “annual review” rating?
An “advisory” rating is given at the mid-year review to inform the employee of their performance thus far. These mid-year ratings are not the final rating. The “annual review” rating is based on the employee’s performance over the entire year and will be given at the conclusion of the fiscal year. Final ratings may be used as the basis for personnel decisions such as, salary and step increases, promotions, transfers, and reassignments.
Is it okay to give a supervisor input?
Yes, an employee should give their input any time throughout these three stages. The success of EPRS is based on two-way communication. It is important that the supervisor and employee are able to express their thoughts, concerns, or opinions they may have on any aspect of the job duties, responsibilities, and performance.
What happens if an employee refuses to sign the EPRS form at any stage?
Signing the EPRS form only means that the employee understands what is expected of them. If an employee refuses to sign, they are still responsible for the job duties and criteria, will be evaluated on their performance, and the form become part of their personnel record.
Once a job duty is on the EPRS form, is it possible to change it? Can a supervisor add more?
Yes, job duties can be revised, and new job duties can be added. Any changes in job duties must be discussed between the supervisor and employee, and an official change must be made on the EPRS form.
How will the evaluation be used?
The complete EPRS form becomes a permanent part of an employee’s personnel file. EPRS can be used when:
- Taking disciplinary actions
- Determining necessary job training or development
- Making decisions about a promotion and job assignment
- Deciding if an employee will get a step raise and/or salary increase
Is a supervisor required to write comments on an EPRS form?
Yes, a supervisor is required to write comments on EPRS when they assign a rating of either “Below” or “Exceeds/Excels.”
Where do I go for help with EPRS?
If you have a technical question, you should view the job aids or contact MassHR ESC for assistance.
For a policy related question, please reach out to your agency's EPRS Coordinator.
Is the optional Employee Development Plan (EDP) housed in MyPath?
Yes, the EDP is available via MyPath. One benefit of having the EDP in MyPath is that it links to our learning portal, MassAchieve. This job aid can assist an individual with those steps.